Roman Chair Hyperextension Exercise Guide

If your aim is to strengthen your core, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, the hyperextension is the go to exercise that hits all targets. There are many ways you can do back extension – on the floor, on a regular bench or the exercise we’re about to discuss right now – the Roman chair hyperextension exercise.

How to use a Roman Chair

Before we get into the various benefits of the exercise, first of all explain how to it correctly.

This exercise equipment has a small bench on one side and a small adjustable platform with pads that keep your feet in place while you’re doing the movement with your upper body.

So here are the steps:

Lie face down on the bench with your feet secured beneath the pads.

Make sure the bench is positioned on the upper legs/groin area so that your upper body mobility is not obstructed in any way.

Cross your arms in front of your chest or place them on the back of your head.

Make sure your back and spine are straight throughout the movement.

Exhale as you slowly bend at the waist to the ground.

Inhale as you return your torso back to the starting position.

Repeat for the desired amount of reps

Here is the instructional video.

Get the best hyperextension bench for home

Top 3 Roman Chair Hyperextension Benefits

There are quite a few benefits that make this exercise useful. These are a few most commonly addressed benefits:

1. Postural Improvement

It improves your posture by lengthening the back muscles and reducing the tension in the lower back and core area. It also enhances the strength in your lower back making it easier to stay upright throughout the day.

2. Increases Functional Strength

When it comes to a real functional strength that you can use in sports or everyday physical activities which are not as easily controlled as a gym exercise, you need to have strong lower back and core muscles. That is what this exercise does exactly.

Aside from making your lower back stronger it also targets all muscles of the core, and a significant portion of the legs, especially glutes which are usually under-developed even if you’re going hard with squats and deadlifts since they’re hard to isolate correctly.

3. Reduces Back Pain

If you’re struggling with back pain, the most common reasons are: bad posture, weak lower back muscles, and weak glutes. The Roman chair back hyperextension, as we’ve already mentioned, produce an improvement in all three of these areas. If you’re struggling with back pain, it is worthwhile to perform it on a regular basis to reap the full benefits.

However, be careful with the Roman chair exercises for lower back pain. Always, consult your doctor before if you have chronic problems. And even if you do not have, always warm up before.

And finally here are the muscles worked.

Roman Chair hyperextension bench benefits

Conclusion

This is one of those exercises that are often neglected because we tend to think that all of those deadlifts, squats, pull-ups, and crunches provide more than enough stimulus for our lower back.

That’s often not the case, and adding Roman bench exercises to your workout routine might be just the thing you need to bring your physique and performance to a higher level.

FAQ

What are some Roman chair exercises for abs?

This fitness equipment can also be used for training your abs muscles. For example, you can do crunches or sit ups by placing your ankle between the rollers and sitting on the pad. This is a rather hard exercise since you have to keep the position and your balance. Or, you can do leg or knee lifts by sitting on the pad and catching the handles. However, I think a sit up bench is better for training your abdominal muscles.

How the 45-degree hyperextension differs?

When you use the traditional equipment, you lie on your stomach horizontally. While in the 45-degree machine you are in an almost standing position. Hence, it is evident that performing the move in the horizontal position requires more strength. If you are a beginner, try the 45 degree hyperextension bench exercises and gradually turn to the traditional one.

Info

What are you looking for?

Follow Us for Daily Fitness Tips

FitBodyBuzz is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.